A Shadow of Infinity

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A Shadow of Infinity is a generative artwork that explores our relationship with the endless. Since we first looked up at the stars, humanity has been haunted and fascinated by the idea of “forever”. It is a word we use easily, yet true infinity is a paradox to creatures bound by a finite lifespan, finite senses, and finite minds. We can only ever try to recognise and appreciate the shadows it casts.

Visually, the artwork manifests as a tunnel of 42 circles - an architectural portal that invites you to journey inward or outward. Within each circle, a specific generative effect unfolds. These are not random visual algorithms; they are each meant to be “shadows” - artifacts of our historical, scientific, and philosophical attempts to map the endless.

The visual layout of the tunnel is governed by mathematics. Each of the 42 circles is assigned a single digit from 0 to 9, which dictates which visual effect appears inside it.

The Random State: Most of the time, these digits are completely randomized, creating a chaotic, ever-changing combination of visuals.

The Irrational State: There is a chance, however, that the tunnel will configure itself based on one of 11 special irrational numbers. When this happens, the 42 circles lock into a strict, predetermined sequence representing the first 42 digits of that constant (the whole number followed by 41 digits after the decimal point). The constants driving this state are:

Pi (π)
Tau (τ or 2π)
Phi (φ) (aka The Golden Ratio)
Euler's number (E)
Apéry's Constant (ζ(3))
Catalan's Constant (G)
Feigenbaum Delta (δ)
Feigenbaum Alpha (α)
The Omega Constant (Ω)
The Square Root of 2 (√2)
The Square Root of 3 (√3)

Because irrational numbers have decimal expansions that go on forever without ever repeating, locking a finite 42-digit slice of them into the tunnel is another way the artwork captures a mere "shadow" of an infinite sequence.

The 10 Visual Effects

Inside the circles, you will encounter 10 distinct generative effects. Each one is a classic symbol or mathematical representation of eternity, looping seamlessly within its designated ring:

The Ouroboros: The ancient symbol of a serpent eating its own tail, representing the eternal cycle of destruction and rebirth.
A Starfield: A deep space perspective of stars rushing past, mimicking an endless journey through the cosmos.
A Galaxy: A swirling, celestial vortex that evokes the massive, unfathomable scale of the universe.
An Apollonian Gasket: A fractal design where circles are nested inside circles, packing infinite complexity into a strictly bounded space.
“Aurora” Bands of Colors: Smoothly cycling gradients that shift continuously without a clear beginning or end.
Pendulums: Rhythmically swinging weights that track the hypnotic, unceasing passage of momentum.
Clocks: Ticking timepieces that visualize our human attempt to measure and segment the infinite flow of time.
Fractal Trees: Generative branches that split into smaller versions of themselves, illustrating nature's recipe for infinite growth.
Spheres: Perfect three-dimensional geometries with no edges, no beginnings, and no ends.
Borges' Library: A constant stream of randomized text inspired by Jorge Luis Borges' concept of the Eternal Library (The Library of Babel)—a nod to the infinite combinations of human thought, language, and our endless desire to extract meaning from chaos.

By combining structured mathematical constants with unpredictable random states, A Shadow of Infinity acts as a sandbox of the eternal. It uses the finite tools at our disposal—pixels, code, and our imagination—to build a portal that hints at the boundless universe forever beyond our reach.

We built this project to explore that exact contrast. We are using fixed code, screens with borders, and a not-quite-arbitrary limit of 42 rings to simulate things that shouldn't have any limits at all. When the tunnel hits its edge and snaps you through the wormhole effect, it's a reminder of that boundary - the spot where the code ends and the actual infinite takes over.